Part III: Clearing Things up
by: Aoi-chan
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"And I don't want the world to see me
Because I don't think they'd understand
When everything's mad to be broken
I just want you to know who I am..."
-"Iris" The Goo Goo Dolls
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"You're awake," a male's voice sighed in relief.
Devon looked up at the Panlike creature disoriented for a moment. "Who are you and what am I doing here?" asked as she sat up.
"Easy," he said as he pushed her back down. "I am Orpheus and I brought you here because you were in trouble."
Devon looked at him strangely. "What do you mean?"
"The strangers had you chained against the wall."
"I don't remember that."
"They must have given you something to make you forget," Orpheus observed. "But I'm sure that it's temporary."
Devon sat up slowly. "Thanks for helping me," she said.
Orpheus looked at her for a moment.
"What is it?" Devon asked.
"It's just that you remind me so much of my daughter," he answered. "Except your're human."
Devon smiled, "Thank you."
"Sadly enough, she died 200 years ago."
"I'm sorry," Devon replied. There was silent tension between the two.
"So what do you remember?" he asked.
"I keeping hearing two words over and over," Devon replied. "Devon and key."
"Strange," he commented. "Perhaps Devon is your name."
"Maybe," she said as she got up and looked around. "Where are we?"
"In my home," Orpheus replied. "Would like to go out?"
"Yes, I would like that."
"She's gotta be around here some where," Ssaturne sighed.
"Ssaturne, see anything on your radar?" Raven asked over the lion's short wave radio.
"Nope," she answered.
"Anybody else?" Raven asked.
"Sorry, but I..." Haruka began as she walked through the forest. She heard voices.
"This place is beautiful," young woman's voice said.
"I think the fresh air here will do you some good," an older male's voice replied. "It is said that our very own Realm Keeper comes out here from time to time."
"Realm Keeper?"
"The Realm Keeper is the ruler of all the realms but she lives here in Center Realm."
"What does she look like?" the young woman asked.
"I have never actually seen her, just heard about her. The residents here speculate about her and her Realm Dwellers. I've seen a Realm Dweller once, she was an armored warrior in a lion craft."
"This Realm Keeper seems..."
"Devon!" Haruka exclaimed as she ran over to her friend "You're okay."
Devon looked puzzled "Do I know you?"
"Of course," Haruka replied."Guys, I found her in Silva Grata."
"On our way."
"The others will be here soon," Haruka assured. "I am so glad that..."
"Scream!" Nightmare yelled as her attack rushed toward Haruka and Devon.
Haruka and Devon dodged the attack.
"Uranus star make up!" Haruka called as she pulled out her power stick. She transformed and stood in her sailor fuku and looked at Tien, Lor, and Nightmare.
"We want the Realm Keeper and we want the key," Lor commanded.
"And you're getting neither," Haruka said as she pulled out her space sword.
"Three against one," Nightmare observed.
"Not quite," Raven replied as he transformed back into his humanoid form.
The other Realm Dwellers stood beside him.
Lor looked at Nightmare and Tien.
"Scream!" Nightmare yelled as began to charge.
The Realm Dwellers dodged in various directions.
Tien called for some shadows warriors and full scale battle broke out.
"Burn," Yoake called as she delivered her attack from the air. She surrounded a group of shadows soldiers in circle fire and close it, reduced them to ashes.
Nightmare took out her chain whip and knocked Yoake out of the air. Orpheus caught her.
"Thanks," she replied. Then they were hit by an energy blast from Tien.
Raven pulled out his no-datchi and faced off with several shadows warriors. He succeeded in destroying them more appeared. "This rediculous."
Michiru did a corkscrew kick and knocked the shadow warrior in a tree.
Lor disappeared and reappeared behind Devon and grabbed her from behind. "Stop," Lor called.
Everyone looked up and saw that Lor had Devon by the neck. "Stop or I will snap her neck."
The Realm Dwellers stood their ground. In response, Lor placed his hands as though he was about to snap her neck. When Devon felt the position of his hand on her neck, a memory flashed in her mind."You will drink this....you will drink this..."Lor's voice echoed through out her mind. Then the echo stopped and all her memories came back to her.
The Realm Dwellers looked in defeat. The withdrew slowly.
Tien and Nightmare took their place beside Lor and Devon.
Tien pointed to Raven. "You! I recognize that blade. That's the blade that killed Finola. You will surely die!"
Tien was about to change when he felt and icy wind distracted him. He looked at Devon.
"Ice...Princess..." she whispered eerily as the icy wind picked up. Her body became silver metallic color and her hair became a powder blue along with her eyes.
Lor gasped as he was thrown down. Devon joined the others.
"It's nice having you back," Michiru whispered.
"It's nice to be back," Devon replied.
"This about to get really bad," Raven observed as more shadow soldiers appeared.
"Not a problem," Devon said. "Let's get them."
They all changed at the same time as the shadow warriors.
"I'm pulling out," Nightmare replied as she looked at the scene in front of them. The RD were easily defeating the shadow warriors. "This is not worth it."
"But what about the key?" Lor asked.
"What about it?" Nightmare asked. "We don't where it is and even if we did, we don't know how to use it. And damned if she'd tell us."
"The power..."Lor began.
"Is lost to us this time," Tien interrupted.
Lor glared at them. "You can leave but I will have the key."
Tien and Nightmare looked at Lor, then disappeared.
The Realm Dwellers defeated the shadow warriors and looked at Lor.
"Your time's up," Tatsu interjected.
Lor looked at the Rd and his eyes finally rested on Devon. He bowed to her. "Another time," he said as he disappeared.
"Another time," Devon repeated then she turned to the RD's. "Thanks guys."
"Hey, you would've done the same for us," Haruka smiled.
"I'm glad it's over," Ssaturne replied.
"Me too," Raven agreed.
"I'd give you a hug," Yoake said, "but right now I am too hot to handle."
Devon made a snowball in her hand and was about to throw it at Yoake for the bad joke when she felt a hand on her shoulder. As she turned around to see the person, she turned back to her normal form.
"So you're the Realm Keeper," Orpheus said.
"Yes," Devon replied, "And these are my Realm Dwellers."
"Hi," they all greeted.
"Thank you for helping me," Devon replied.
"Devon," she corrected.
"Devon," Orpheus repeated.
"Well we better be heading back," Raven said slowly. "Coming?"
"Yes," Devon answered. "Bye, Orpheus." Then they all disappeared.
Devon sat at her vanity in front of her mirror. "Show me the RD's."
The mirror clouded over and then showed the sleepinf RD's. "Much better," she said as she got into bed.
"Night, guys."